Looking for some new appetizers for your Super Bowl party? Here’s a list of tried and true appetizer favorites that are sure to be a big hit this Sunday! I’ve included recipes submitted by friends, as well as my own go-to appetizers. Whatever you’re tuning in for – the game, the commercials, the half-time show – enjoy!
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
This is a quick appetizer that’s easy to throw together. It scales well for two people or for a crowd. If you want a more elaborate nacho plate, you could easily added ground beef, onions, peppers etc.
I like to prepare this nacho plate on a rimless cookie sheet because it makes transferring to a serving dish a breeze.
Black Bean Nachos
Tortilla chips
Cooking spray
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Cumin
Salsa
Shredded Mexican-blend cheese or cheddar jack
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray
3. Cover cookie sheet with desired amount of tortilla chips.
4. Layer chips with desired amount of black beans. Sprinkle with cumin.
5. Cover black beans with salsa.
6. Sprinkle cheese over top.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and starting to brown lightly. Serve immediately.
Photo courtesy of www.Pillsbury.comThese bite-sized appetizers are flaky, spicy and easy to make! They always disappeared quickly when I brought them to Superbowl parties. Like the pesto pinwheels, it’s easier to slice these if you chill the rolled dough for at least an hour. The Mexican pinwheels can be make in advance and reheated prior to serving.
I clipped this recipe a few years ago, and it differs slightly from the one found on Pillsbury’s website.
Mexican Confetti Pinwheels
Yields 24 pieces
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup nacho cheese dip
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.
2. Spread dip on rectangles to within 1/4 inch of edges.
3. Sprinkle with bell pepper and onions.
4. Starting with short side, roll up each rectangle; press to seal.
5. If desired, wrap rolled dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375.
7. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 11-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove immediately and serve warm.
Meaghan sent me the recipe for her quick and easy Cheesy Nacho Dip. The creaminess of the cream cheese blends quite nicely with the spice of the salsa. It’s a breeze to put together and is quite the crowd-pleaser. This dip can be assembled in advance and heated immediately before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Cheesy Nacho Dip
8 oz. block of cream cheese
8 oz. bag of shredded cheese
one jar of salsa.
1. Spread the cream cheese across the bottom of a glass pie plate.
2. Spread your desired amount of salsa on top of the cream cheese.
3. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the salsa.
4. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Lisa sent me her favorite recipe for Crab Rangoon.
Here’s what she has to say about the recipe: “At least according to my Chinese food connoisseur husband, this version tastes just as great as the restaurant kind, and it is MUCH MUCH healthier. We usually use imitation crab meat rather than real crab meat. We also have tried it without crab altogether and it comes out very tasty as well. Wonton wrappers can usually be found in the produce section of the supermarket.”
According to the Taste of Home website, you can enjoy two of these crap rangoon appetizers for only 83 calories!
Crab Rangoon
Yields 7 servings (2 appetizers per serving)
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pouch (3.53 ounces) premium crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, drained
1 green onion, chopped
14 wonton wrappers
1. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
2. Stir in crab and onion.
3. Place 2 teaspoonfuls in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water; bring corners to center over filling and press edges together to seal.
4. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly spray wontons with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 425? for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
My cousin Sue regularly brings these pesto pinwheel appetizers to family gatherings. These appetizers are light and flaky and have a delicious pesto and Parmesan flavor. They’re best when served warm. However, they can be made ahead of time and reheated immediately before serving.
Pesto Pinwheels
Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets (package of 2)
7 oz. container of pesto
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
water
1. Let pastry sheets thaw until soft, then roll out flat.
2. Spread 1/2 of the pesto onto each sheet.
3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over pesto.
4. Roll pastry sheet up, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350
6. Slice rolled pastry sheet in 1/4 inch slices.
7. Place slices on baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
8. Mix lightly beaten egg with a small amount of water to make an egg wash.
9. Brush slices with egg wash.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until pastry starts to brown.
Danielle sent me her Bacon and Cheese Log recipe. It’s an old family favorite.
According to Danielle, “This recipe dates back to 1973 in our family and came to us from our great friends and neighbors across the street from the house I grew up in. I can remember eating it as a very young child at my parent’s parties and now I make it at my own parties. It is such a classic, delicious crowd-pleaser!”
The topping can be made in advance and frozen or prepared immediately before heating.
Bacon and Cheese Log
1 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 slices raw bacon, finely chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. mayonnaise
2 packages party rye bread
To Prepare in Advance:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Roll into log 1-1.5″ diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
3. Slice frozen log into thin slices and place on party rye bread.
4. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.
To Use Immediately:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Spoon small amount of mixture onto bread.
3. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.
My cousin Debbie usually makes this Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball for family gatherings. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and is a nice contrast to other savory appetizers. Full-size graham crackers (pictured above) or miniature graham sticks make fun dippers.
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, or mini chips
Graham crackers
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy.
2. Gradually add sugars; beat just until combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap; shape into a ball.
6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
7. Just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans or mini chips. Serve with graham crackers.
This Chicken Taco salad has become one of my new favorite lunches. As you may have gathered from my previous postings, I’m a big fan of Mexican flavors. This isn’t so much of a recipe as it is a quick and easy meal idea.
The chicken taco salad is simple, tasty and filling. I use baked chicken that’s been seasoned with cumin, chili powder and garlic powder and drizzled with a small amount of fat-free Italian dressing. The salad can be served hot or cold. Since I usually use frozen corn, I like to lightly saute the corn, beans and onion before plating the salad. Any salsa will work, but I prefer to use one that’s not very chunky. My current favorite is Archer Farms’ Organic Chipotle Picante-Style Salsa, available at Target.
Chicken Taco Salad
Yields 1 salad
2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup corn
1/4 black beans, drained and rinsed
chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
1 tbsp shredded Mexican cheese
salsa
1. Shred lettuce.
2. Saute beans, corn and onion in small amount of olive oil or cooking spray.
3. Top lettuce with vegetables, chicken, salsa and cheese.
I haven’t baked in nearly a month. After my Christmas baking extravaganza, I decided that I needed to take break from sweets and embarked upon a one month baking moratorium. Entertaining or bringing goodies to a friends home were the only exceptions to my rule. We had company tonight, so I could bake with a clear conscience. 
I wanted something sweet, but not too heavy. With the cold temperatures expected this weekend, I figured that I wanted something that would go well with a warm cup of tea. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies seemed to fit the bill, so I thumbed through my cookbook collection in search of a recipe.
Both Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens had recipes that looked simple and tasty. Betty Crocker won me over by offering a low-fat version of the recipe. Using unsweetened applesauce in place of shortening and Eggbeaters instead of eggs cut the fat and calories quite a bit. Since the texture of oatmeal cookies can vary widely and still taste wonderful, I figured it was worth a shot.
Since I forgot to purchase Eggbeaters, I used regular eggs and only substituted applesauce for shortening. The substitution did not cause any problems in consistency or taste, and I would happily try Eggbeaters next time.
When I first removed the cookies from the oven and transferred them to my wire racks, they seemed very soft and I was concerned that they wouldn’t hold together well. The cookies were soft and chewy – a little softer than I expected – but delicious. As they cooled completely, the cookies took on more firmness. They’re still moist, soft and chewy, but the cookies hold their shape and don’t crumble as easily. The applesauce did not change the flavor of the oatmeal cookies much. If anything, it added an extra hint of sweetness.
I enjoyed a few cookies with a piping hot cup of Lady Grey tea tonight. I’m happy with the recipe selection and will certainly be making these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies again.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook
Yields about 48 cookies
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
2. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugars.
3. Add applesauce, eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix well.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients (flour mixture and oats).
5. Stir in chocolate chips
6. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned along edges. Immediate remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
* 1/2 cup of shortening may be used in place of applesauce. If shortening is used, reduce vanilla and cinnamon to 1 tsp each.
* 1/2 cup of Eggbeaters may be used in place of 2 eggs.
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